You Light Up My Life (Two: Visible Light and Its Properties)

Scientific Disciplines — Physics and Chemistry

Learn some of the more unusual properties of light. Remember the nonsense you told your child, when he or she asked “Mommy (Daddy), why is the sky blue?”? Finally, you (or your child, at least) will actually be able to answer the questions, “Why is the sky blue and why is the sunset red?” (and we’ll make our own sky and sunset and see this phenomenon in an aquarium). We’ll learn how a prism works and experiment with prisms, mirrors and lenses. Find out how certain molecules can rotate a beam of light in one direction, while their mirror images rotate it in exactly the opposite direction. We’ll build a device (polarimeter) that will enable your guests to observe this in their own homes with a common food additive found in almost every kitchen. What a wonderful party favor!